M4 in Berkshire closed after crash between car and lorry
A diversion is in place and National Highways has urged people to allow extra time for their journeys.The BBC has approached Thames Valley Police for more information.
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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Diogo Jota's childhood sweetheart is consoled by relatives as she weeps outside mortuary after Lamborghini 'fireball' that claimed lives of her husband and his brother
The bereft wife of Diogo Jota has arrived at the morgue in northern Spain after the Liverpool star was killed with his brother when their Lamborghini careered of a road after a tyre blowout. Rute Jota, 28, was among relatives seen sobbing and comforting each other at Zamora's Institute of Forensic Medicine this afternoon. Diogo's childhood sweetheart, who the Liverpool and Portugal forward married less than two weeks ago, was among those seen arriving around midday today. Family held her as she cried outside. She is understood to have helped identified her husband's body, according to the local newspaper, less than a fortnight after they walked down the aisle. The couple, who have three children, have been together since they were teenagers. Liverpool star Diogo, 28, died with his younger brother Andre, 26, when their Lamborghini crashed as they drove through northern Spain to catch an overnight ferry to the UK, it emerged today. The siblings were headed to Santander to catch a boat to Britain after Diogo was advised not to fly following lung surgery. Liverpool's pre-season training begins on Monday. The tyre of the Lamborghini supercar, reportedly a £150,000 Urus SUV, is said to have blown out while overtaking on the A-52 at Cernadilla near Zamora - just ten miles over the border from Portugal. The supercar came off the road, rolled and then burst into flames at around 12.35am, also igniting the surrounding vegetation. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved. Police say they don't yet know who was driving. The remains of the Lamborghini that contained Diogo Jota and his brother Andre. Paramedics fought to save the men after the crash at around 12.35am today Tyre marks can be seen on the road today where the Lamborghini overtook a car and then straight into the crash barriers, likely when a tyre blew out Angel Blanco, a central government representative for the province of Zamora said today forensic experts would try to obtain fingerprints during the autopsy and DNA tests would also take place. He explained any fingerprints obtained would be sent to a specialist lab in Madrid along with the DNA test results to be analysed so formal legally-required confirmation of the men's identities can be obtained. The crash happened in the tiny municipality of Cernadilla which is home to just over 100 people. A town hall official told local press today: 'The news here has hit us like a ton of bricks. 'It seems that in the small municipalities tragedies like these always have to happen.' He also described the A-52 highway where the crash happened as 'very dangerous.' Town hall sources quoted by local press said: 'As it passes through Cernadilla it is full of bends at 120 kilometres per hour. 'Exceeding the speed limit or poor visibility at night tend are often the cause of accidents in these areas'. Liverpool are due to start pre-season training on Monday, so Jota was heading back to the UK on a road trip with his brother less than two weeks after he married his childhood sweetheart Rute in his home city of Porto on June 22. Doctors reportedly advised the Liverpool star not to catch a plane after a recent operation, so was getting a boat instead. A Brittany Ferries service from Santander to Plymouth leaves at 4pm today, arriving in Devon at 11.15am on Friday. CNN Portugal's sports editor Rui Loura said today live on air: 'The surgery he had was lung surgery and he had been advised against flying following this. 'He was on his way to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to cross by ferry and reach the UK that way and carry on with the car once he reached Britain. He was on his way to Liverpool with his brother.' Another Portuguese journalist, Victor Pinto told the country's CMTV channel: 'Diogo sometimes chose to travel by road because he had some pulmonary discomfort, nothing serious, and as we know, there is a ferry boat that connects the south of England to Spain'. Jota died at the age of 28 after his Lamborghini careered off a road in northern Spain, devastating his family and the world of football. His brother Andre, his o The supercar crashed and caught fire, also igniting the surrounding vegetation Diogo's new wife Rute shared more wedding day pictures in a social media post yesterday and said: 'My dream come true.' Jota replied in the comments: 'I'm the lucky one.' Liverpool FC said in a statement that the club is 'devastated' by the tragedy and that Diogo's family, friends and fans had suffered an 'unimaginable loss '. Flowers and tributes are being laid outside Anfield today, with many fans in tears. Jota had just married Rute Cardoso, the 28-year-old mother of his three children and partner since the age of 16. He had described himself as the luckiest man in the world to be her husband, sharing moving footage of their wedding day in his final Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon. The couple married on June 22 in Porto, the footballer's home city. Rute shared more wedding day pictures in a social media post yesterday and said: 'My dream come true.' Jota replied in the comments: 'I'm the lucky one.' The Lamborghini crash happened on the A-52 in the province of Zamora. The Spanish dual carriageway is a key route taken by drivers after leaving northern Portugal as they head for the ports of Santander and Bilbao or drive north-east towards France. Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash and two fatalities at around 12.35am on Thursday morning. Diogo and Andre's deaths were then confirmed by the Portuguese Football Federation at around 8am. Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota's friend and teammate and Portugal's greatest player, said today: 'It doesn't make any sense. Just now we were together for the national team, you were just married. To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. RIP. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you'. Diogo was born Diogo Silva, but changed his surname to Jota to stand out because it is a common surname. His brother Andre kept the family name. The boys were the only children of parents Joaquim and Isabel Silva. Jota was part of Liverpool's Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. He also played for Portugal's national team and helped it win the Nations League last month in an extraordinary win over rivals Spain on penalties. His younger brother played for Penafiel, in the second tier of Portuguese football. The Spanish civil guard said he was found dead alongside his brother Andre Silva, after their car went off a road near the city of Zamora. 'The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and the vehicle was on fire,' a statement read. '1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) of this accident. 'From there, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and the Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were sent, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene'. The couple shared pictures of their wedding on Instagram and Jota said it was 'a day we will never forget' The tragic news comes just two weeks after Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in Porto, his home city. The Portuguese national football team have said they are 'devastated' by the death of Liverpool forward Diogo, adding that he 'was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his teammates and opponents'. Liverpool posted on Instagram on Thursday morning: 'Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. 'The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre. 'Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre's family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss. 'We will continue to provide them with our full support.' His death was confirmed by Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation. He said in a statement: 'The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, this morning, in Spain. 'Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 internationalizations for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself. 'On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where, respectively, lined up the players. 'The Portuguese Football Federation has already asked UEFA for a minute's silence, this Thursday, before the match of our national team with Spain, in the women's European Championship. 'Lost to two champs. The disappearance of Diogo and Andre Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honor their legacy'. Jota starred for Liverpool as they won the Premier League title in May and also played for Portugal's national team and helped it win the Nations League last month. His brother played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions. Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and won three major trophies with the Merseyside club - including the Premier League title last season. Jota's death comes weeks after he married Rute Cardoso and in a social media post wrote, 'Yes to forever.' The pair got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together - two sons and a daughter who was born in November. Jota frequently shared pictures of him and his family on his Instagram account, while his wife has posted images of their holidays in Dubai and Lapland. They also have three pet beagles. On Wednesday, Jota and Cardoso, 28, posted video footage of their wedding, with the caption: 'A day we will never forget.' The sporting world is in a state of shock and mourning, with tributes flooding in for Diogo after his death in a car accident, aged 28. Gary Neville wrote on X: 'That is heartbreaking news on Diogo Jota and his brother. All my love and best wishes to his family.' Jota had reportedly been travelling in a car with his brother Andre, who is also a 26-year-old footballer, when the vehicle went off road and the tragic news comes just two weeks after Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in Porto. Jamie Carragher wrote: 'Absolutely devastated by the sad news about Diogo Jota Thoughts are with his wife Rute & their three kids.' Jota's Portuguese and former Wolves team-mate Joao Neves added: 'They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you.' Former England striker Alan Shearer simply posted the word 'heartbreaking', while Stan Collymore described the news as 'unfathomable'. Liverpool FC flag flies at half-mast at Anfield Stadium after Liverpool's Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota Cristiano Ronaldo led tributes to his friend and teammate Jamie Carragher took to Instagram to share his reaction to the devastating news He said his thoughts were particularly with the family Jota has left behind David De Gea and Rio Ferdinand also shared tributes 'I'm sure like many in the football family there's just a profound sense of shock, sadness and disbelief at the news of Diogo Jota's death at the unfathomably young age of 28. Newly married too,' he said. 'Sending my deepest condolences to his family and friends and everyone at Liverpool.' Rivalries were of course put aside, with ex-Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea saying: 'Sometimes life is very cruel,' and Rio Ferdinand sharing: 'Absolutely heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers go out to Diogo Jota, Andre Silva, their family & friends!' Jota's former club Porto were the first of his old sides to offer their thoughts, writing: 'FC Porto is in mourning. It is with shock and deep sorrow that we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who was also our athlete in the youth ranks. Rest in peace.' And legendary Portugal defender Pepe spoke about the loss of his friend. 'It was with great sadness that I received the news of the passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André. A premature, painful loss, which leaves us all poorer — as colleagues, as friends and as football lovers. In this moment of deep grief, I send my most sincere condolences to their family, friends and all who loved them. May they find strength in the love and memories they left behind. May they rest in peace,' he wrote.' And former Portugal manager Fernando Santos said the news had rendered him speechless. He wrote: 'I am shocked, speechless. It is a very sad moment for the family. It is a sad moment for everyone, especially for those who worked with him because everyone liked him.' Clubs across the continent added their own tributes, including Sporting Lisbon, Braga and Napoli.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Dartford Bridge shut as collision causes traffic delays
A major crossing over the River Thames has been shut after a collision between a lorry and a happened on the QEII bridge at the Dartford Crossing, which links Essex and Kent east of London, at 11:05 warned the route would be shut "for several hours" after both the road surface and barriers were damaged. One person suffered minor traffic was being diverted through the nearby tunnel, which usually served those heading clockwise on the M25. "Northbound tunnel traffic is therefore confined to using the west bore Dartford tunnel only," National Highways height restrictions of 4.8m (15ft 9in) applied in the tunnel.A highways spokesman added: "Vehicles over this height will have to seek an alternative route via the clockwise M25."Also in attendance at the incident were fire, ambulance and police services, who urged drivers to exercise "patience" during delays. Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Dartford Crossing bridge closed after collision involving HGV
The Dartford Crossing bridge has been closed going southbound after a crash involving a HGV on Thursday. It is unclear whether anyone has been injured in the incident, but traffic is being diverted away from the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge due to the collision, National Highways said. The road is closed from J31 A1306 (Lakeside / Purfleet) to J1a A206 (Dartford) with queues of traffic building up on the road, according to reports. All traffic travelling southbound or clockwise on the M25/A282 is being diverted through the east bore tunnel. This means all northbound traffic will only have the west bore Dartford tunnel to travel through. National Highways said: "The southbound QEII Bridge at Dartford Crossing is closed due to a collision involving a HGV on the QEII Bridge. All traffic travelling southbound/clockwise on the M25/A282 is being diverted through the east bore tunnel. "Northbound tunnel traffic is therefore confined to using the west bore Dartford tunnel only with a height restriction of 4'8m (15'9"). Vehicles over this height will have to seek an alternative route via the clockwise M25. "If this closure impacts on your planned route, please allow extra journey time. Plan ahead, you may wish to re-route or even delay your journey.' National Highways said further information can be found on its website, travel apps of regional X feeds. You can contact National Highways on 0300 123 5000.
